[Good mental health among adopted children from foreign countries]

All 181 families living in one county in southern Sweden who during the period, 1970-77, adopted children via Adoptionscentrum, the largest adoption agency in Sweden, were invited to take part in a study of mental health and identity development; 152 families (84 percent) accepted, a total of 211 adopted youngsters over 12 years of age thus being included in the study. According to the results of interviews with the parents and self-rating instruments administered to the youngsters, their mental health was good. The results were compared with those of an age-matched group of non-adoptive children who had taken part in an epidemiological study using the same investigative methods. The relevance of family factors and age at adoption is discussed.